This invention relates to fasteners for detachably connecting a removable member, such as a toilet seat, to a stationary member, such as a toilet bowl.
It is frequently desirable to securely attach a removable member to stationary member in a way that positively secures the removable member but also allows the removable member to be quickly detached from and re-attached to the stationary member. For example, an improved mechanism for easily attaching and removing a toilet seat from a toilet bowl would facilitate installation, maintenance and cleaning, thus lowering costs and promoting sanitation.
It is accordingly a principle object of the present invention to positively secure a removable member, such as a toilet seat, to a stationary member, such as a toilet bowl, while permitting the removable member to be quickly detached and quickly re-installed.
It""s a further object of the present invention removably attach a toilet seat to a toilet bowl without requiring the use of complex structures employing multiple moving parts, levers, bolts, slide mechanisms etc., thus reducing the cost of a removable toilet seat.
It is still another object of this invention to quickly and easily adjust the frictional force which must be applied in order to detach and re-install a toilet seat, so that the seat is effectively held in place during normal use but is also be easily removed to facilitate cleaning.
It is still a further object of the invention to convert a conventional toilet seat into a removable toilet seat by simply replacing the conventional fastener with a special fastener which permits the seat to be easily detached, without requiring any modification to either the seat or the toilet bowl.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simple, positive-acting, long-lasting, maintenance free, inexpensive fastener for interconnecting two members which incorporates manually operable means for force needed to attach and release of the two members.
In accordance with a feature of the invention, a novel fastener is employed for detachably connecting first and second members, such as a toilet seat and a toilet bowl. The fastener employs an elongated pin secured at one end to the first member and hollow elongated pin ptacle secured to the second member, the receptacle having deformable side walls which, when subjected to a constricting force, deflect inwardly to clamp and retain the pin within the receptacle. Means are preferably employed for adjusting the constricting force to vary the friction between the receptacle and the pin, thus adjusting the force that must be applied to attach and separate the two members. To provide the needed variable constricting force, the exterior of the pin receptacle is preferably threaded to receive and mate with a manually rotatable member which includes a bearing surface that adjustably engages with the deformable side walls when rotated.
The principles of the invention may be used to modify a conventional toilet bowl and toilet set assembly, allowing the seat to be readily removed from the bowl, and promoting sanitation by allowing the toilet seat and bowl to be more easily and completely cleaned. The conventional fasteners which are normally installed through seat mounting holes in the toilet bowl and in the toilet seat are replaced with the new detachable fasteners which use the same mounting holes. One end of an outwardly extending pin is secured to each mounting hole in the toilet seat, and a mounting receptacle is attached to each corresponding mounting hole in the toilet bowl. In accordance with the invention, a constricting force is applied to deflect the receptacle side walls to clamp each pin in place, and a manually adjustable bearing member is employed to adjust the constricting force to vary the friction between the receptacles and pins which secure the toilet seat to the toilet bowl.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by considering the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the course of this description, frequent reference will be made to the attached drawings.